2
Fossil-C Application in the Energy
and Chemical Industry
Abstract
In this chapter, the use of fossil-C as source of energy (compared to other
sources) and as raw material for the chemical industry is discussed. Some
fundamental processes are illustrated for the production of liquid fuels from
either coal or natural gas. Emissions of CO 2 are quoted for several sectors. The
syngas and Fischer–Tropsch processes are discussed more in detail in the Deep
Insight (DI).
2.1 Fossil-C as Primary Source of Energy
The global consumption of energy was 13.97 Mt oe at the end of 2017 [1] with ca.
40% increase with respect to 2010 (10 024 Mt oe ). Table 2.1 gives the sharing
among different sources.
Table 2.1 is quite illustrative of the role played by fossil-C in our energy system
and of the existing trend toward the exploitation of alternative primary sources. As
for the last 30 years, fossil-C has stably provided over 81
+
% of the total energy
consumption [81.19% (1990)–81.21% (2017)] with a net trend toward an increase
of use of fossil-C, and of coal, in particular, +83%, despite international programs
claiming CO 2 emission reduction. Renewable or biomass (grown and waste) is
apparently growing (902 367 in 1990 and 1 329 064 in 2017) but its share has
decreased from 10.29% in 1990 to 9.51% in 2017. Hydroelectric has grown from
2.1 to 2.51%, nuclear has apparently grown but its share is gone down from 5.99 to
4.92%. Only perennial primary energy has sensibly increased its share from 0.042
to 1.8%. Such trend demonstrates that the use of fossil energy permeates our life
and its substitution is not easy. The expansion of the use of perennial energy can
reduce the use of fossil energy, and this requires the realization of particular conditions (vide infra). Renewable energy can play a role, but limited by the fact that
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Aresta and A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59061-1_2
13
Fossil-C Application in the Energy
and Chemical Industry
Abstract
In this chapter, the use of fossil-C as source of energy (compared to other
sources) and as raw material for the chemical industry is discussed. Some
fundamental processes are illustrated for the production of liquid fuels from
either coal or natural gas. Emissions of CO 2 are quoted for several sectors. The
syngas and Fischer–Tropsch processes are discussed more in detail in the Deep
Insight (DI).
2.1 Fossil-C as Primary Source of Energy
The global consumption of energy was 13.97 Mt oe at the end of 2017 [1] with ca.
40% increase with respect to 2010 (10 024 Mt oe ). Table 2.1 gives the sharing
among different sources.
Table 2.1 is quite illustrative of the role played by fossil-C in our energy system
and of the existing trend toward the exploitation of alternative primary sources. As
for the last 30 years, fossil-C has stably provided over 81
+
% of the total energy
consumption [81.19% (1990)–81.21% (2017)] with a net trend toward an increase
of use of fossil-C, and of coal, in particular, +83%, despite international programs
claiming CO 2 emission reduction. Renewable or biomass (grown and waste) is
apparently growing (902 367 in 1990 and 1 329 064 in 2017) but its share has
decreased from 10.29% in 1990 to 9.51% in 2017. Hydroelectric has grown from
2.1 to 2.51%, nuclear has apparently grown but its share is gone down from 5.99 to
4.92%. Only perennial primary energy has sensibly increased its share from 0.042
to 1.8%. Such trend demonstrates that the use of fossil energy permeates our life
and its substitution is not easy. The expansion of the use of perennial energy can
reduce the use of fossil energy, and this requires the realization of particular conditions (vide infra). Renewable energy can play a role, but limited by the fact that
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Aresta and A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59061-1_2
13